why i march

if i had been asked to give a speech yesterday at the women’s march this is what i would have said:

we are here, we are angry and we are not going away.  we are here to say that we are NOT a one issue voting demographic.  this is not a march about abortion.  that is not the defining issue of these thousands upon thousands of women, and many, many men.  we are here to say that unobstructed access to healthcare for all matters to women.  climate change matters to women.  education matters to women.  LGBTQ rights matter to women.  science matters to women.  the constitution matters to women.  criminal justice reform matters to women.  unions matter to women.   

we are not a one issue voting demographic.  the black lives matter movement matters to women.  sensible gun control legislation matters to women.  equal pay for equal work matters to women.  fair housing matters to women.  homelessness matters to women.  the plight of indigenous peoples matters to women.  standing rock matters to women.  poverty matters to women.  affordable child care matters to women.  public transportation matters to women.  the tampon tax matters to women.  child brides matter to women.  human trafficking matters to women.  the privatization of prisons matters to women. 

we are not a one issue voting demographic.  paid maternity and paternity leave matters to women.  sexual assault matters to women.  planned parenthood matters to women. immigration matters to women.  the national endowment for the arts matters to women.  a fair tax structure matters to women.  the supreme court matters to women.  respect matters to women.  dignity matters to women.  voting rights matter to women.  the wage gap matters to women.  clean water matters to women.  drug prices matter to women.  international affairs matters to women.  animal rights matter to women.  freedom of the press matters to women.  freedom of religion matters to women.  freedom of speech matters to women.                                                                                                  

EVERYTHING THAT MATTERS TO MEN MATTERS TO WOMEN!  stop treating us as if all liberal and progressive women care about is abortion.  it’s simply not true, it’s unfair and it’s dangerous.  you underestimate us.  some of us are pro-choice and some of us are pro-life.  we are women and we are 51% of this country.

do not let this administration define us.  do not let this country define us.  do not let conservatives define us.  do not let bigotry and misogyny define us.  let our reaction to bigotry and misogyny define us.  let our actions define us.  let what we are willing to do stand up for the rights of all peoples everywhere define us.

grace and peace and march